Archived News from June 2015
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STAGS SIGN CHRIS BEARDSLEY - BACK FOR 3RD SPELL
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Manager Adam Murray snaps up experienced striker
mansfieldtown.net, 5th June 2015 A familiar face is signing number seven We are pleased to unveil our seventh summer signing after striker Chris Beardsley agreed terms on a move back ‘home’ to One Call Stadium this afternoon. The transfer will be complete subject to Football League approval. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/a-familiar-face-is-signing-number-seven-2484379.aspx#Rx6W8D6yoMJe3JXb.99 The 31-year-old, who will now begin his third spell with the club, boasts a vast amount of experience and is known for his hard-working and committed displays. Manager Adam Murray was delighted to seal the deal. He said: “Chris offers something that we lacked last year - a little bit of know-how, guile and experience in this league. "He's somebody who knows how a dressing room should be run. He's worked under Graham Westley for a while and that's a tough camp to be in, so I'm really pleased with this one." On signing, Beardsley said: "The manager impressed me hugely with his plans. He has a real idea of what he wants and how he wants to implement it." Having graduated from our old academy system during the same era as Liam Lawrence, Bobby Hassell and Leroy Williamson, Beardsley left us to join Doncaster Rovers in 2004. Following a short stay in South Yorkshire, he then spent half a season at Kidderminster Harriers, prior to returning to North Nottinghamshire ahead of the 2005/06 campaign. Spells with York City, Kettering Town and Kidderminster (loan) followed, before he was signed by old Stevenage boss Graham Westley in 2009. The frontman went on to play a key role in Boro’s rise - achieving success in all of three of his seasons at the Lamex Stadium. He made 36 appearances in their Conference Premier title-winning season in 2009/10, then played a further 32 games as they made it back-to-back promotions by achieving promotion from League Two, via the play-offs. In 2011/12, he helped his employers achieve a place in the League One play-offs, before his old manager opted to sign him for Preston North End. He endured a frustrating couple of years with the Lilywhites, but found game-time during a loan spell at Bristol Rovers and was part of the team that played against us on the final day of the 2013/14 campaign. The Derby-born frontman returned to Stevenage last term, where he scored four goals in 29 league outings - helping the club to get a place in the end-of-season play-offs. ----------------- Beardsley sold by gaffer’s plan mansfieldtown.net Striker says he was intrigued by Adam Murray’s vision for the club. New signing Chris Beardsley says the way that manager Adam Murray sold him his future plans for the football club was a significant factor in making the move back to One Call Stadium. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/beardsley-sold-by-gaffers-plan-2484840.aspx#WdI4hUcDz6wtfySH.99 The 31-year-old started his career with us in the academy ranks more than a decade ago, before spending a further two years at the club in the mid-2000s. In recent years, the frontman, who has nearly 350 appearances to his name, has played a key role in Stevenage’s success, whilst also spending time at Preston North End. Explaining how his move back to North Nottinghamshire materialised, Beardsley couldn’t hide his excitement at what the club has to offer moving forward. “It [the move] was sort of completely out of the blue,” said the frontman. “I spoke to the gaffer this summer and we had a good chat. “He’s told me his plans, what he thinks of the whole club, the structure of the squad, my part in it and the future moving forward. He impressed me hugely with his plans and he’s actually got an idea of what he wants and how he wants to implement it. “When you go and speak to some managers, they just say ‘We’ll see how it goes’ but the gaffer here has got a big plan. Speaking to him, he sold me his plan and the club.” Beardsley continued: “He’s a football man. He’s been playing for so many years up and down the league at different clubs and he knows all about it. He intrigued me with the long-term plan.” Asked how he’d changed since his last spell at the club, the 31-year-old joked: “Well it’s been eight-and-a-half years and I’ve started losing my hair a little bit. “I’m now a father so I’ve got different responsibilities and I’ve matured on and off the pitch too.” Discussing his current playing style compared to his last spell with us, the Derby-born forward said: “I suppose with the older you get you hone in on your strengths and you try and play to them. Sometimes as a youngster, you try and do everything, but a lot of the time you end up doing nothing. “As you get older you become more assured of yourself. You know what you bring to the team and more importantly, what you bring to the squad, which means you’re more comfortable with it.” Having played a significant number of games in Sky Bet League Two, the forward believes that could prove to be an advantage in 2015/16. “When you’ve been at a level [for a while] and you know your players and know your opponents, then you often know what you’re coming up against,” added Beardsley, who has played for Stevenage and Bristol Rovers at this level in recent years. “I’ve been in and around the top of this league and I know what it takes to get there and get out of this league. At this age, it’s down to me to give that to the squad and the younger players. Hopefully, that will benefit them.” ----------------- |
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